Sleeper
by sharingank
Summary: It was a song that led Shikamaru to the riverbed, and it is a kiss that will change everything he thought he knew...ShikaIno...COMPLETE! Yay!
1. Sleeper

It's been a while since I wrote Shika/Ino, and I wanted to get back into the groove, don't 'y know. They are my favorite couple, after all I hope you guys enjoy this!

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**Sleeper**

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Shikamaru lazed on the grass, the sun beating down on him as he stared up into the sky and watched the white, puffy clouds coast along. Usually, this activity helped him to clear his mind of annoying thoughts, but it wasn't working today. **Nothing** was working today.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, feeling a trifle surly. "I'm sore, my head hurts, and I have a mission tomorrow." He sighed. "This Chuunin business is too much work."

Of course, the clouds did not bother to answer him, and carried on with whatever it was that clouds do in their free time between rains. Shikamaru sighed again. It had been five years since he became a Chuunin, and he was receiving more attention now than ever before. The reputation of being a skilled tactician followed him around like a faithful dog would its master, erasing any chance he had of fading into the background and living a normal, ordinary life. Instead, he was thrust into the world of busy people, moving here and there without so much as a spare minute to breathe.

Naturally, Shikamaru was not taking it very well.

His mother teased him every day without fail when he stumped down the stairs to grab a quick bite before leaving, and his father often added his own sly remarks, which made things worse. The elder Nara was living the way Shikamaru wanted to, and he spared no expense to exploit that fact whenever possible in his son's presence.

The most irritating thing of all, however, was that today, the first day he'd had in weeks to loaf, his brain was being assaulted by thoughts of **her**: the blonde hair that would feel like silk if he were to touch it...the blue eyes that could mirror so many emotions at one time...the voice that could travel between painfully loud and ridiculously soft in a matter of seconds...

Ino had always been such a nuisance, even when she wasn't trying.

"Which explains why, out of all people, it just **had** to be you," Shikamaru stated, his grumpiness increasing. "All I wanted was to settle for a plain, sensible girl, and you're neither. You're loud, and bossy, and **extremely** high maintenance, and you'd only give me trouble."

The clouds still had nothing to say.

"Of course I can't get you out of my head," Shikamaru continued, trying to rationalize with himself. "You make it difficult for **anyone** to ignore you, the way you always carry on, acting like you know everything."

No response, yet again.

Though it required quite a bit of effort, Shikamaru sat up and crossed his arms over his chest. If the clouds were going to ignore him, then he would do the same.

"Oh bother. I don't have the energy to continue with this line of thinking. Ino's a menace. An attractive menace, yes, but still a menace, and that's all there is to it."

The thoughts did not go away, and Shikamaru was more than just a little annoyed. Once his head was in that place, however, even more thoughts tumbled in, and it was impossible to hold them off, at least, not until something else came along to distract him.

Shikamaru heard singing. It was faint at first, becoming gradually louder as he tuned his ears to it. The song was archaic, the language it was written in used long ago in some distant land; Shikamaru did not understand a word, but it only added to the beauty of the haunting melody. The singer was female, her voice clear and definite, a voice that could have easily belonged to an angel. As if some other force were commanding him, Shikamaru rose to his feet and followed the voice, coming to a dead stop when he reached a riverbed not far from the cluster of trees where he had been earlier.

Ino sat with her back to him on the banks of the river, her legs dangling over the side and her feet in the water. A basket of fresh picked lilies was at her side, and she held one of them in her hands as the song poured from her lips.

Shikamaru could do nothing but stand and stare at her, not quite believing that such beautiful sounds could come out of Ino's mouth. He felt a stirring in his heart then, a peculiar feeling that he had never experienced before, and it disturbed him. But, for whatever reason, he could not bring himself to leave. The song had weaved an intricate spell over him, and he was riveted to the spot.

A minute or two later, it was over, the notes fading out like a dying flame. Shikamaru remained where he was, reeling from what he had just experienced. Ino finally realized that she'd had an audience, and she glanced over her shoulder, a rosy blush on her cheeks.

"Shikamaru!" She exclaimed in surprise. "How long have you been there?"

His voice did not seem to want to work.

"Long enough," he managed to croak.

"Well you should have said something!" Ino snapped. "It's rude to just stand and stare at people!"

_Oh my lord_, she thought to herself, wanting to crawl under a rock and die. _He must have heard the whole thing..._

The only time that Ino ever sang was when she was alone, and judging from the look on Shikamaru's face, for good reason.

"Was I that bad?" She asked quietly, her eyes on the ground.

"Huh?" Shikamaru recovered enough to be confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I didn't think that anyone else was listening," Ino explained, still not looking up. "I wouldn't have opened my mouth if I knew you were there..."

When Shikamaru made the connection, he couldn't help himself: he started to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" Ino demanded, miffed. "It's not funny!"

Shikamaru made his way over to the bank and sat next to her, wiping at the tears that streamed from his eyes. Ino glared at him and waited for an apology.

The dark haired Chuunin decided it would be beneficial to his health to give her one, so he did. "I'm sorry, Ino, really. I'm not laughing **at **you, I just..."

He received another glare. "It didn't seem that way to me."

"That was the most beautiful song I have ever heard in my life," Shikamaru said, cutting right to the chase. "And I mean it."

Whatever she had been expecting, that was certainly not it. Ino was rendered speechless for a few moments. She knew Shikamaru well enough to understand that he did not bestow compliments all that often, which only made it resonate louder in her ears.

"That's why I was laughing," he added.

"Oh," Ino mumbled, feeling rather silly.

"Where did you learn it?" Shikamaru asked after a few moments had passed. "I'm not familiar with that dialect."

"My grandfather used to sing it to me when I was little," Ino said, smiling at the memory. "It's been passed down through the generations. I'm still not sure what all the words mean, but I know that main idea is love transcending time." Her smile became sad. "It was Grandpa's favorite song."

Tentatively, Shikamaru reached out and covered Ino's tiny hand with his. He did not think that there were words for this situation.

Ino broke the silence. "I haven't seen you around in a while. Being a Chuunin is pretty hectic, huh?" She was teasing him, and he knew it.

"It's annoying," Shikamaru said. "I hardly have any time to myself anymore. And Asuma's already started bugging me about trying for Jounin, which I'd really rather not. That'd be even **more **work."

Ino giggled. "You're too lazy, you bum. Work is good for you. It builds character."

"Yeah, like you have a lot of room to talk, Ino," Shikamaru said sarcastically. "All you do is putter around in the shop with your flowers all day. That **hardly** constitutes as work."

"Why don't **you** sit in there and run the place? Then you can tell me what is and isn't work."

Shikamaru sighed. He didn't feel like arguing, so he allowed Ino to think that she'd won. "Whatever you say."

The blonde girl was much smarter than she appeared, and she knew what Shikamaru was doing, having played this game with him more than once in the past, though she did not mention that. Her attention was focused more on the warmth that was radiating from the hand still covering hers, and her heart started to beat a little faster. She'd had quite a bit of time to think about her feelings with Shikamaru away so often, and what she discovered baffled her.

_My heart is changing._

"I missed you, Shika," she said, using the childhood nickname she'd given him long ago. "I've had no one to boss around but the flowers, and they're boring."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "So that's all I am, eh? An object you can take your ego out on? How wonderful."

"Of course," Ino replied impishly. "And you've never made any move to stop me, so it's your fault."

She had a fair point there.

When they were still Genins on the same team, Ino had appointed herself the leader, and Shikamaru and Choji basically allowed her to do whatever she wanted out of fear for their behinds. Ino could be more frightening than an army of rabid berserkers when she was angry, and her punishments were often painful and lasting. Still, if he had really wanted, Shikamaru could have told her to cool it, but he didn't feel like wasting the energy. So, in the end, it **was** his fault.

"Fine, fine, I'll let you have that one."

Ino grinned triumphantly. "I really did miss you, though," she said in a more serious tone.

_Twice now, she's said that,_ Shikamaru thought, the strange feeling in his chest returning with more force. _She missed me..._

_I missed her, too. _

"Yeah, well, I've been able to bear the separation just fine," he retorted, a hint of a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "My ears needed a break from your screaming into them."

"Shut up!" Ino laughed, and smacked him on the arm, but made no move to defend herself. "I have to admit, I love getting a rise out of you. Your reactions are too priceless."

Shikamaru shook his head. "See? I knew it. All females are evil creatures who love to torment people."

"It's our favorite pastime," Ino agreed, and then lifted her face to the sky. The sun was beginning to set, blue mixing with purple and red and orange.

"Look at that," she breathed. "Isn't it gorgeous?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru said absently, pretending to look, though his eyes were fixed on Ino.

_But I know something that's prettier. _

In this light, under this sky, Ino resembled a goddess who had decided to walk the earth, and Shikamaru was never more aware of it than now. He started a bit when he felt a pressure against his side, and he saw that Ino had rested her head on his shoulder.

"When do you have to leave again?" She asked softly.

"Tomorrow morning," Shikamaru said, a hint of irritation in his voice. "I got a nice, one day vacation. Joy."

Ino smiled. "Would you stay out here and watch this with me, then? I'd really like that."

Shikamaru blinked. "Sure," he said, trying to sound casual. "I've got nothing better to do."

How long they sat together under the changing sky Shikamaru did not know. Ino ended up lying on her back in the grass to get a better look at one point, and she was now fast asleep, her mouth slightly open.

Shikamaru watched over her, trying to decide whether or not to wake her up. After some consideration, he decided to let her sleep a bit longer. He felt a peace out here, being with her, that he'd never felt before, and he didn't want it to end. Crickets began their symphony in the brush, other insects and wildlife adding accompaniment. Fireflies winked in and out, one of them landing on Shikamaru's outstretched hand, where it loitered for a moment before zooming off again.

His thoughts were back.

_I feel like I'm seeing her for the first time, and it's...strange. Something's...different. _

Shikamaru's eyes fell to Ino's face, a face that appeared so innocent in sleep, though he knew better. His hand went to brush aside a few pieces of her hair, and it came to rest on one cool cheek. Ino mumbled something, and Shikamaru froze, but he realized with relief that she was still out cold. For some reason, that put a crazy idea into his head, and before he could stop himself, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers ever so gently.

"I missed you, too," he whispered when he pulled away.

Ino's form was still.

_Just as well,_ Shikamaru thought, taking a deep breath of the night air.

He did not notice when Ino's eyes opened for a brief second, because she shut them just as quickly when he made to wake her.

She had not been asleep.

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Well, there's the first chapter...I don't plan on making this too long, so we'll see how that goes. Please tell me what you think!


	2. Dreamer

Hey guys! Thank you all so much for reviewing!! It made me happy! ::grins:: Here is the second chapter...I hope you enjoy!

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**Chapter 2: Dreamer**

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_"So, I guess I'll see you when I see you," Shikamaru said, absently scratching at the back of his neck. He had walked with Ino all the way to her house, though it was in the opposite direction of his own. Ino had protested a bit out of habit, claiming that he should go straight home and get some sleep since he'd be on the move again in the morning, but in a completely uncharacteristic move, Shikamaru put his foot down. He was not about to allow Ino to go traipsing about in the dead of night when who-knows-what could be lurking in the shadows, and it made him feel more comfortable knowing she would arrive home in one piece with him watching over her. _

_Of course, that bit of information he kept to himself. He told Ino that he was being her chaperone out of fear for his own backside, since if anything were to happen to her, he was positive she would come up with some unpleasant way to get revenge on him, even if it was from beyond the grave. _

_Ino had given him another of her 'in **my** head this is a playful smack though I'm not aware that it stings like a full on pummeling' smacks for his sass, and Shikamaru did not elaborate any further on the matter after that. He'd received more than the lion's share of Ino Slaps in his lifetime, and he could spare himself the pleasure of earning more. _

_In truth, Ino was quite proud of herself for being able to conceal the giddiness that had become a living entity inside of her after the abrupt kiss by the riverbed, and she had the impression that Shikamaru suspected nothing out of the ordinary in her behavior towards him. She had not **intended **to smack him, but it certainly aided in her deception. The normal Ino would beat on Shikamaru at the drop of a hat, and they both knew it. _

_Saying a convincing goodbye, on the other hand, was going to be quite tricky. _

_"Just don't do something stupid like getting your head broken, okay? I'll be angry with you if that happens," Ino remarked impishly. "It'd be no fun to tease a brain damaged half-wit, wouldn't you say?" _

_"Again, your complete lack of anything resembling tact never ceases to astonish me," Shikamaru told her, his voice as dry as chalk. "I **do** so appreciate your concern on my behalf. It's quite touching." _

_Ino laughed, and patted him on the cheek as if he were a precocious child. "Yes, I know. Now scat. You need your rest if you're going to exercise your genius tomorrow." _

_Shikamaru snorted. "I'll be 'exercising' more than just brain power, I assure you." He sighed. "My livelihood is diminishing before my eyes." _

_"Eh? Livelihood? Since when have **you** had livelihood?" _

_A rogue smile stole the normal stoic expression Shikamaru wore. "That's a good question, actually. Why don't you ask again later, and I'll let you know if I think of a witty response." _

_With a straight face, Ino replied, "See that you do." As an afterthought, she added, "It isn't going to get earlier before it gets later."_

_Shikamaru's brow furrowed as he pondered those words. _

"_That was clever," he accused. _

_Ino grinned. "I've had a good teacher," she said, and started to giggle. _

_Shikamaru, the boy who never bothered to show emotion, was blushing. _

_"Oh Shika," she laughed, and wrapped her arms around his middle in a quick hug. "This is the reason I love y—to torment you," she amended herself quickly. _

Oh my goodness, _she thought_, I was about to say I loved him. Where did that come from? It must still be that kiss playing with my nerves. Yes, that explains it.

_She sincerely hoped that Shikamaru did not notice her almost-slip, because she did not want to think about what the consequences would be if he did. She was not quite ready to face her feelings just yet, as she was still trying to figure them out herself. _

_Luckily, he had not. _

_"I don't know if I should be flattered or scared," Shikamaru shook his head. That hug had surprised him, but, even more confusing, he found it a pleasant surprise. Worse, it made his desire to stay at home and skip the mission even greater. However, he had a duty to fulfill, one that would not allow him to do such an irresponsible thing, so, with great reluctance, he gave Ino a lopsided smile. _

_"Well, I guess I really should be getting back. Like you said, it's only getting later, and every minute spent here is a minute of sleep lost." _

_Ino smiled back. "Go on. And **be careful**, you got that?" There was a slight tremor to her voice, one that betrayed her true feelings about his leaving. Though she never told him so, it worried her sick every time that he went away, and she was always on pins and needles until she saw that he had returned with her own eyes, touched his solid form with her own hands, heard his sarcastic voice with her own ears. The thought of him going off and never coming back was her deepest, darkest fear, a fear that she kept hidden under lock and key. Shikamaru did not need to know how she sometimes went for days without sleeping when he was gone, or that her worry made food taste like ash in her mouth. Those were trivial things that he shouldn't be bothered with, particularly when he was on duty and risking his life. _

_"I will," Shikamaru said in response to her previous demand. He raised his hand and made to cup her cheek, but he stopped himself at the last second, his arm falling limply to his side. "Don't overexert yourself with those flowers, now," he said, and with one last glance, he turned and began the trek back to his house. _

_Ino stayed on her porch until she could no longer see his retreating form, one hand pressed to her chest. _

_Her heart hurt. _

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Ino sat up in bed, the morning sunshine pouring in through her window. Birds twittered on the trees nearby, and she heard the hustle and bustle of villagers beginning their everyday tasks. She was amazed that she had been able to fall asleep at all the night before, since her head was swimming with worry for Shikamaru, and thoughts of that puzzling kiss. Instinctively, her fingertips went to her lips, feeling for the essence that Shikamaru left behind. It was there, a ghostly vapor, a memory. When she realized what she was doing, Ino immediately felt silly, and shook herself.

"It was probably just an impulse thing," she said out loud. "He must not have been rational when he did it."

After she paused to think about that, Ino frowned. "Shikamaru and irrational don't go together," she mused, annoyed. "He's one of the most rational people I know!" She crossed her arms over her chest and humphed. "Damn it! Why do you always have to go and do things that confuse me? It's not fair!"

"What isn't fair, dear?" Ino's mother poked her head through her daughter's doorway.

Ino blushed crimson. "Nothing, mom. I was just...talking to myself." She waved her hand and laughed, though it was a fake laugh.

The tall woman raised an eyebrow. "I see," she said with amusement. "You do know that you have to open the shop today, right? I have errands to run, so I won't be around until late afternoon."

Ino's eyes went wide. She had completely forgotten about that, and now she would have to take a record-breaking shower in order to be ready in time. Ino **hated** being rushed when it came to grooming herself, but she was not left with much choice right now.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" She muttered as she untangled herself from her sheets, nearly stumbling as she got out of bed. She lurched past her mother and headed for the bathroom, still swearing under her breath.

"This is shaping up to be a fantastic day," she grumbled. "Just fantastic."

A mere twenty minutes later, Ino stood behind the counter at the shop, her chin propped on one hand while the fingers of the other drummed out an uneven rhythm. Once in a while the little bell above the door would tinkle, signifying the entrance of a customer, but all in all, business was rather slow.

Not helpful, considering Ino was in desperate need of something to distract her.

She considered working on some new flower arrangements when the bell chimed again.

"You look about as bored as I feel," Sakura said as she walked up to the counter, resting her elbows on the surface. "Most of the boys are on missions, so I can't go force them to entertain me, and there's absolutely nothing to do." She sighed.

"Tell me about it," Ino nodded. "It's so dead in here that I can hear the dust settle."

Sakura laughed. "Would you mind some company?"

"Not at all," Ino grinned, and went in the back to retrieve a stool. "Sit," she ordered.

The pink-haired girl sat.

Their talk ranged over a variety of subjects, from what color nail polish would look best with certain outfits, to the new café that had just been opened a few days ago ('we need to check it out,' Sakura stated), to boy problems. The conversation stayed on that topic the longest.

"I have no idea what's going on between me and Naruto, but there's definitely something," Sakura said thoughtfully. "It's just...odd, you know? I remember when I used to think he was such a loser, but I couldn't have been more wrong." Her eyes became soft. "He's always been so sweet to me, even when I didn't deserve it."

Ino hid a smile behind her hand. She'd believed all along that Sakura and Naruto would end up together somewhere down the line. Their personalities were too suited to each other for them **not **to be together.

"And what about you?" Sakura inquired after a few moments. "Any interesting developments?"

_Figures you had to ask_, Ino thought, heaving a mental sigh.

"As a matter of fact, yes," she replied, receiving raised brows from Sakura.

"Out with it!"

"Shikamaru kissed me last night."

Sakura's jaw dropped. "He did _what?_"

Ino decided that she ought to explain the situation. "I was by that river in the woods, you know, the one with the lilies," Sakura nodded and motioned for Ino to move along, "and I was singing that song my grandfather taught me. Shikamaru must have been nearby staring at his clouds, because he heard me and came over. We ended up watching the sun set together, and I fell asleep on the grass, but I woke up when he kissed me. He doesn't know that, though."

Sakura whistled. "Oh wow..." She tapped her chin. "I wonder what possessed him to do that," she said, though she had a good idea as to what the answer would be.

Ino shrugged her shoulders. "All I know is that I haven't been able to get him out of my head ever since, and it's frustrating." Ino purposefully kept out the bit about her almost telling Shikamaru that she loved him to steer clear of Sakura's opinions on the matter. She had enough on her plate as it was.

"So that's where I stand," she said, and began to gather up materials. Now was a good time for those flower arrangements. "Oh well, I'll figure things out. Give me a hand with these, eh?"

Sakura looked like she wanted to say something, but she held her tongue. The blonde girl had made it quite clear that the subject of her feelings for Shikamaru was closed, and she would not speak another word about it, even if Sakura were to pry. Instead, the two girls whiled away the afternoon by becoming immersed in their task.

"I'll drop by your place tomorrow so we can go to that café, okay?" Sakura said as they closed up the shop for the day. "It'll be fun."

Ino grinned, though her thoughts were returning with full force now that she wasn't occupied any longer. "Sounds good. I'll see you then," she said, and took the road to the right, while Sakura branched off to the left.

"You'd better sleep tonight, Yamanaka Ino," Sakura called over her shoulder while she was still within earshot. "I know how you get when something's bothering you, and stinting yourself isn't going to help."

_She knows me too well. _"Okay, Okay! I will, I promise."

That promise was proving difficult to keep.

"He's fine. He'll come back," Ino said to her stuffed bear, one of the tokens of her childhood that she could not part with. "Shikamaru can take care of himself."

_But what am I going to do then? I can't pretend that nothing happened forever. I have to tell him that I was awake...it's the right thing to do, after all. _

She clutched the bear tighter. "I'm afraid, Bear. I don't understand what's happening to me...all these feelings...**do** I love him?" She buried her nose in Bear's fuzz, smelling the musky scent of pine, her grandfather's scent. He had given Bear to her when she was three, she remembered, and his scent still remained after all this time. She felt his familiar presence then, one that spoke to her through Bear, whispering truths that, in her heart, she was already aware of, though she needed a little nudge to make her realize them.

"Thank you, Grandpa," she whispered before she drifted off to sleep.

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Shikamaru watched the flames of the small fire, fascinated by the way they danced. He, along with Kiba and Neji sat in a small cave that was dug into the side of a rocky mountain, their refuge for the night. The goal of this mission was to glean as much information as possible about a few rebels who were stirring up trouble in the area, and to take them out, if possible. Kiba, known for his tracking skill, and Neji, for his speed and agility, were hand chosen by Shikamaru himself to accompany him, and they had both been happy to oblige. Missions were rather dull as of late, and this one gave them the chance to hone their skill a bit.

So far, things were going fairly well, the three managing to discover the exact location of the rebel camp and go into hiding without being seen. The cave was an added bonus, as it was close to the camp but far enough away to not attract attention. The three took turns on watch duty, and it was Shikamaru's task at present. Nothing was happening, so his mind began to wander.

_I kissed her. _

Shikamaru could still not quite believe that he had made such a brash move, and the more he thought about it, the happier he was that Ino had been asleep. He wasn't sure what he would have done if she'd woken up while his mouth was still on hers, though he knew it would not have been pretty.

_What was I thinking? Ino doesn't want someone who's plain..._

_Someone like me. _

_There's nothing special about my looks, or my personality, for that matter...why would she want me, when she could have someone more...extraordinary? Someone who can give her the sun and the moon and the stars without even trying? But..._

_I **want** to give her those things! I **want** to be the person she runs to when she's sad, or angry, or happy! I want—_

_Her. _

And there it was. The great revelation, the reason why he strove to be stronger, to be better, to take every mission that was handed him even though he didn't want to...

_I want to be someone in your eyes, Ino. I want you to be proud of me. _

_I want you to love me as much as I love you. _

Shikamaru sighed. These lightbulb moments required too much energy.

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A week went by, and Ino still had no word of Shikamaru. She was no longer worried.

She was frantic.

_What if he's hurt? What if he's bleeding to death somewhere and there's no one around to help him? What if...what if he's dead? _

That last thought she immediately drove away. He wasn't dead. He couldn't be. Not after it had taken her all this time to understand her heart.

On Monday evening of the second week since Shikamaru's departure, Ino was in the kitchen preparing dinner for her family when she heard tapping on the front door. Wiping her hands on a dishtowel, Ino went to see who it was.

Shikamaru's mother stood on the other side of the door.

"Mrs. Nara?" Ino asked, a bit startled. Out of nowhere, a sense of dread descended upon her. "Is everything okay?"

The older woman's level eyes met with Ino's.

"Oh Ino...I know how close you are to Shikamaru, and I wanted you to know first. He's been injured."

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I'm going to wrap things up in the next chapter, I promise!


	3. Lover

Hey all!! Sorry for the cliffhanger!! ::grins sheepishly:: Again, I just want to thank everyone who reviewed this...it made me very happy!! Alrighty...on we go then...

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**Chapter 3: Lover**

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"_Are you happy?" Ino asked Shikamaru as the two walked along one fall afternoon. She was enjoying this little outing with her former teammate a bit more than she was comfortable with, but she shrugged the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach off as nerves. Ino had always been a bit high-strung, so that explanation suited her just fine. _

"_Eh?" Shikamaru looked at his companion with a raised eyebrow. "Where did **that** come from?" _

_Ino decided to rephrase the question. "I mean...do you ever regret becoming a ninja?" She smiled. "I know how much you hate doing anything that makes you break into a sweat." _

_The other eyebrow joined the first. "And is that so bad? I'm a sedentary kind of person. I get all flustered when too many things are shoved in my face." _

_Ino snorted. "Flustered indeed." Her expression became serious. "**Are** you happy, though?" _

_Shikamaru did not answer right away. His gaze drifted off towards the trees with their changing leaves, trying to find the proper words to say. There were plenty of things that he **wanted** to tell the blonde girl by his side, but that did not necessarily mean he **could. **Truth be told, the question was much more complicated than he was sure Ino realized. _

_"There are days when I wake up and call myself all kinds of crazy for doing what I do...well, most days, actually..." Ino started to giggle at that, "but, despite all the whining and complaining, I guess I am happy. At least, as happy as a lazy guy stuck in a profession where he has to exert himself on a regular basis **can** be." _

_Ino could not resist the urge to probe a bit further. "And how are things in the romance department? I haven't seen you out and about with any girls at all." _

Not like I care or anything if you **are** interested in a girl, _she thought, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. _

_Shikamaru felt his eye twitch. _Of all subjects to bring up, you just **had** to pick the one that I was trying to stay away from.

_"When have I had time to bother with love-stuff, huh?"_

Besides, who would want you even if you did? _His cynical self chimed. _

"_I haven't found anyone who's caught my attention, anyway." _

Except for a certain girl with blonde hair and blue eyes who looks remarkably like the one you're talking to, _the cynical voice pointed out. _

_Shikamaru ignored it. _

_"Oh," Ino said, an overwhelming sense of irritation springing up from out of nowhere. _I don't interest him even a tiny bit? **Why not?** I'm pretty, and I have a killer figure! Is he **blind? **Humph!

_"What about **you**?" Shikamaru shot back, feeling like the tables needed to be turned. "It's not as if you have an entourage of boyfriends at your beck and call." He crossed his arms and glared at Ino, who glared in turn. _

_"You're mean." She said, and though it was childish, stuck her tongue out at him. _

_The dark haired Chuunin laughed. "Let's face it, kid, we're both hopeless cases. You're too intimidating, and I'm too boring."_

_"Maybe we should just settle for each other then," Ino blurted before she thought about what she was saying. _

_For a fleeting moment, their eyes met, and Shikamaru's mouth began to quirk. "Now there's an idea. I can only imagine what a bloody union ours would be." _

_"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Ino protested, her hands on her hips, though she could not hold back her amusement for long. "All of our crockery would get broken," she said as an afterthought. _

_"Exactly my point. You'd break it on **me**." _

_"I suppose we could buy Tupperware. Plastic isn't dangerous." _

_And that was the end of that. _

_The topic drifted on to other things soon after, but Ino never did forget this particular conversation, nor was she like to. While it had been nothing but playful banter at the time, it grew to symbolize something much deeper the more often Ino recalled it. She had all but displayed her heart on her sleeve... _

* * *

"_He's been injured." _

As her knees gave way, Ino sank to the ground, her eyes wide and unseeing.

_No...no...NO! That can't be! _

"How bad is it?" She whispered, barely able to force her vocal chords to produce sound.

"They were knife wounds, Ino ... He's been in surgery for the past hour, so we won't know for certain until he comes out."

The blonde girl nodded, and it was as if the world around her faded to grey. Everything was dark...she could sense nothing, feel nothing...

_This isn't happening...it's all a joke...he's going to walk through that door any minute now and make fun of me for being so gullible..._

But no matter how hard she tried, she could not make herself believe.

_No...his mother wouldn't have come to see me if this was a joke. She's not the type of person to do something like that. _

"I think he'd like it if you were there when he wakes, Ino. He's always been so fond of you." Mrs. Nara said, leaning down and offering the other girl her hand.

"He...he has?" Ino asked, reaching out her own hand when she could move.

Shikamaru's mother smiled. "Yes, he has. He **did **try to hide his feelings from everyone, but mothers can always see through such nonsense."

_

* * *

_

_"You seem to be spending quite a bit of time with that hellion these days," Shikato observed shrewdly. He and his son sat at the kitchen table on a Saturday morning, one of those rare occasions in which Shikamaru had a day off. Of course, Shikato took advantage of his son's presence, as he was curious about certain developments that he sensed were happening. _

_Shikamaru did not appreciate the implications, though he could not stop the blush that slunk into his cheeks like a thief in the night. _

_"I don't know what you're talking about," he said quickly, and proceeded to do some serious analyzing of the contents on his breakfast plate. _

_"Oh, I think you do," Shikato said, not about to let the matter drop. A wolfish grin split his face. "You sly rascal. Like the rougher breed, eh?" _

_Shikamaru came close to choking on a bite of pancake. "WHAT?" _

_"Although I guess I've got no room to talk. Your mother isn't exactly a lamb, now is she?" _

_"I heard that!" Shikamaru's mother called from the sink, where she was washing dishes. She shook a spatula in her husband's direction. "It was **your** decision to marry me, I'll have you know." _

_"I won't be forgetting **that** anytime soon," Shikato muttered. _

_Before things could get any worse, Shikamaru chose to defend himself. "I can't help that Ino always seems to know exactly where I am! It's like she's got a radar that pinpoints my every move, and then she insists that I do stuff with her because, 'I'm bored,' or, 'there was nobody else around,' or, 'I don't know when I'll see you again, since you're on missions all the time.' What am I supposed to do? If I said no, she'd make my life miserable." _

_Shikato held his chin. "I suppose I hadn't thought of that," he conceded, though that answer did not coincide with his real opinion on the matter._ That girl's got him wrapped around her little finger_, he thought with mirth. _And she's a Yamanaka, to top it all off. The future should be quite interesting...

_Shikamaru's mother smiled to herself. She was thinking along the same lines as her husband, and she knew as well as he that her son was doing a poor job of concealing his true feelings. She glanced over towards the table, where Shikamaru was eating a bit faster than normal, most likely to escape from the table and the merciless questioning of his father. Shaking her head, she returned to her task, the smile not leaving her face. _

* * *

The hospital was quiet, too quiet for comfort. The whitewashed walls seemed to close in on Ino as she fidgeted in the waiting room, her hands shaking and her heart banging against her chest with a ferocious force. She wanted nothing more than to burst into the room where Shikamaru lie and whisk him away to someplace less...imposing.

_Like our woods,_ she thought. _He loves being outside. He shouldn't be cooped up in here..._

Shikamaru's parents emerged from his room then, and Ino looked up sharply.

"You can see him now," Shikato said, resting a hand on Ino's shoulder. "He's still sleeping, though."

Ino examined the two people who stood before her as she got to her feet, noting that they both appeared to be swaying from exhaustion. _They need sleep, too. _

"I'll stay here tonight," she offered. "Please...you should rest."

The Naras exchanged glances.

"That's very kind of you," Shikamaru's mother said with a wan smile. "Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all," Ino said quickly. She planned on remaining where she was whether they had said no or yes, anyway, but the selfish part of her wanted to be alone with Shikamaru. "I wouldn't be able to sleep at home even if I tried, so there's no reason for me not to."

"Thank you, Ino," Shikato said. "We'll come back early tomorrow morning, so you won't have to worry about being here too long."

That was the last thing on Ino's mind, but she did not mention it. She nodded instead, and watched as Shikamaru's parents explained the situation to a nurse, who said that she would prepare a cot for Ino next to the bed. A few minutes later, they were gone, and Ino, still trembling, walked into Shikamaru's room.

He lay with his eyes closed, one hand hanging over the side of the bed. As she came closer, she made out a few of the places where he had been stabbed: one on his right arm, another down the side of his neck. She'd learned on the way to the hospital that the rest were on his chest, near his heart. He had not been paying attention when the rebels attacked, and that mistake had almost cost him his life.

"You idiot," she scolded as she arranged herself next to him on the bed, grasping the hand that had fallen. "You stupid, stupid idiot! What were you thinking, huh? I **told** you to be careful!"

With her other hand, she brushed matted hair off of his forehead. The tie that held it up had been lost while he fought, and it was strange to see him without it. His brow furrowed at the touch, but his eyes remained closed. At that moment, Ino remembered the time at the riverbed, how she had been the one to sleep while Shikamaru watched over her. _The way that I'm watching you now..._

Ino leaned in close and touched her mouth to his.

Shikamaru's eyes cracked open.

When she pulled away, they were still open.

"I wasn't asleep," she whispered, her face inches from his.

As he was a bit disoriented from the effects of the surgery, it took Shikamaru a bit to realize that it was Ino who hovered over him, and his muddled brain was rather slow to process what she said.

"How did you know I was here?" He croaked.

Ino smiled and continued to stroke his hair. "Your mother came and got me."

"She did?"

_Obviously. _"Yes, she did."

"Where is she?"

"I told her and your father to go home and get some rest."

"Oh." Shikamaru's brain was beginning to function now, though there was still some confusion. "You weren't asleep?"

_This is going to be a long night_. "When you kissed me."

Shikamaru attempted to shift his position a bit without much success. Of course, Ino was not having that.

"Don't you dare," she ordered. "You've had surgery, so it's best to not move around."

_Well that explains a lot_, Shikamaru thought to himself. He looked down at his body and remembered his carelessness at the rebel camp with embarrassment.

"You're lucky to be alive," Ino said, trying to sound stern, though she was failing. The tears that pooled in her eyes more than gave herself away.

"I know," Shikamaru sighed. He noticed Ino's tears. _Oh no...not that..._ "Don't cry...please, Ino. I'm okay...everything's fine."

Ino sniffled, but managed to hold the tears back. "You scared me," she whispered. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? Don't you **ever** go and do something like this again, is that clear?"

"Crystal," Shikamaru croaked. "I'm sorry."

"You'd better be."

His brain was now almost back to normal, and it was screaming at him. "Wait...you mean you weren't asleep when I kissed you?"

_I thought I said that already..._ "No."

"You knew I was kissing you, but you let me?"

_Wonderful observation. _"Yes."

"Oh," he repeated. _I sound like a broken record..._

By this point, Ino had had enough. "So what are we going to do about this?"

"About what?"

_For the love of..._Ino closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get her temper under control. "You kissed me," she said slowly, as if speaking to a child, "and I kissed you. Don't you think that we have a situation here?"

_Wow...that's true, isn't it? How troublesome..._ "Er...we could just...kiss each other," Shikamaru said awkwardly, "I mean, it's the only logical thing to do, right?"

"Right," Ino replied. "I was thinking that myself..." _Oh stop talking and just do it! _

Their lips met.

"I think I like that much better when we're both awake," Shikamaru said when they broke apart.

Ino giggled. "Me too." She gripped his hand a little tighter. "It looks like we may have to get that Tupperware, after all," she whispered, her heart in her eyes.

Shikamaru noticed, and he grinned, remembering the joke that was not a joke any longer. "It certainly seems that way, doesn't it?"

The tears fell. "Mm-hmm."

Shikamaru saw the cot by his bed, and he raised an eyebrow. "That thing can't be comfortable. Why don't you...sleep up here with me?"

Ino's heart started to pound a little faster. "I'd like that...if you want me to."

"I do."

Ino curled herself up next to him, his warmth enveloping her like a cloak.

"Would you sing me that song again? Please?" He added when she hesitated.

"Okay," Ino said, and began to sing softly into his ear, the sounds lulling him off to sleep.

Ino smiled.

* * *

FINISHED!! YAY!! I hope you all enjoyed it!


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